Hearne: KC Chiefs Media Apologists Should Know Better

You know who you are; Kansas City Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian. Because quite frankly, disingenuous front page headlines like “Loss certainly stings, but it doesn’t have to be the defining moment of the Chiefs’ season” and “Loss Hurts But Chiefs Are Still Strong” accomplish little other than to console the deluded among us.

That’s because in last night’s game between the previously unbeaten locals and the Denver Broncos, “The Chiefs were never in that game other than the fumble they picked up early,” says Stanford’s Craig Glazer. “Denver won that game from wire-to-wire. The bottom line is the Chiefs are an OK team, but they’re so fucking boring it’s hard to watch them.”

Why then the chorus of apologists?

“I think it’s happy talk,” Glazer says. “Wishful thinking. They’re buying in on a nice, Cinderella story that has way too many holes in it.

“And here’s why; the NFL is by far the biggest entertainment game in the United States. And this is the first time in years the Chiefs have had a decent team. So it’s just part of the circus; let’s try and keep the excitement going. Those guys are just jumping on the bandwagon.”

In another life, Kansas City would have Jason Whitlock to tell it like it is.

“I think Whitlock would say, they got their assess kicked,” Glazer says. “And then he’d say, plan on one and done in the playoffs. This Chiefs season is just a feel good story that Kansas City has wanted and I think the sportswriters understand that…but they know better.

“They know that with this below average offense, this team is going to struggle – they’ve already struggled. They’ve won every game by the hairs of their chinny-chin-chins.”

19 Responses to Hearne: KC Chiefs Media Apologists Should Know Better

glaze…please refrain from any more comments.
this team is built to play that way. because of the lack of outside
speed receivers and because the o line is lacking experience…
they have to play this type of slow burning game.
they don’t have the receivers like Denver that can get open
in 2-2.5 second so the qb can avoid sacks.
If they had outside speed they could run the same full throttle
offense like Denver or new Orleans…but they don’t
hence…smith has to allow his receivers slowly getting open
and that means he has to stand in the pocket and wait while
his receivers struggle to get open.
that’s just the way this team has had to go. with 32 new players
you can’t change everything as quickly as uneducated fans
like yourself would wish.
smith take 4 seconds in the pocket…o line can’t keep d linemen
off of him and he’s got problems.
they did NOT get their asses kicked…but I am concerned that
the team’s attitude after this game wasn’t that we “lost”… but
that we gave them a good game…that leads to problems.
Plus there were definitely some plays that could have been
called differently. The fumble at the Denver 18 which was
really bad after getting a turnover. Some small things that
this young and inexperienced team could have done better.
You are way wrong on your evaluation of this team. You lack
any analytical skills besides the Monday morning qb b.s.
you use in these stories.
If you had any kind of knowledge about football and its
strategies you would understand tht this game could have
easily gone the other way…a kc win.
yes they are somewhat boring…yes they are sometimes a
plodding team…but your constant inaccuracies about this
team and almost all the others you comment on show you
are nothing more than regurgitating espn.com mumbo jumbo.
this team has a ways to go. Someone who pick every major league
team in kc WRONG time after time…you’ve failed miserably in
picking teams as they progressed thru the season…you’ve
been wrong almost every time with your comments…I think
you need to do some serious studying about strategiesand
details about pro sports.
You’re hitting about 60% on your picks (with your teases) but
your analysis of chiefs/royals/mu tigers/ku jayhawks have
been the worst of anyone who is trying to show what they
know about pro/college sports.
Please..please do y our homework before making inccorect
and mistaken comments on this and other blogs.
You’re becoming another superdave…someone who is usually
wrong…but coversup the fact with mumbo jumbo/changing
opinions and constantly trying to show their inability to
fully understand the dynamics of sports.
in other words glaze…enjoy your comments but do not
continue to put your foot inyour mouth with these inane
comments on subjects you know nothing about.
the chiefs will be fine. the building of a really good team takes
time. Their turnaround has been incredible and even with
naysayers and wrong comments by you and oth4r so called
sports experts can’t take away the fact that this coaching staff
has done an incredible job with the talent they were given
and the players they inherited.
please stop making stupid comments.
thanks.
your friend
Harley

“below average” offense…yes…we all understand that language that
you lifted from Denver post writers.
but before you make that statement…and make a fool of
yourself again with mumbo jumbo inaccuracies…
remember this team was 2-14 last year.
this year they could finish with just 2 or 3 losses…a huge and
incredible turn around.
Ifv you were more proficient in analyzing this team
you would know that this team come into games with 32 new
players…a huge amount of turnover from last year.
2 outside d backs with no experience…one almost playing
pro bowl style years…
and 2 d linemen who will play in the pro bowl along with
at least 2 linebacks with pro bowl years.
Please do some homework before making statement.
you’re constantly wrong with your comments so please
don’t answer hearn’es questions with statements that
you could hear from a 12 year old.
as far as your other comments over the seasons for the royals/
chiefs/mu tigers and other sports related topics many people
think you should get y our information from people who know
sports…not these “sports” experts who are more wrong than
even the Monday morning qb’s.
in other words…make sure you know what you’re talking about
before making comments.
you know comedy…hotties…woodside…nightlife….etc…sports
is not your forte!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
thanks
your friend
Harley

Jeezuz, Hearne, can you ever post a column that doesn’t reference The Star? Were those columnists blowing smoke? Perhaps, but Denver needed that game more than the Chiefs, they proved they’re somewhat better, but I still think the gap isn’t that great and absolutely nothing happened yesterday to make me think the Chiefs can’t win the return game @ Arrowhead. It’s always funny to hear folks call out apologists with takes that are just to the opposite extreme. Unfortunately for journalism and just viewpoints in general, the rationality ship sailed a long time ago.

Sorry PB, but I don’t do sports talk radio and besides, they key players there don’t come on until later in the day,

The fact that the largest media in town had twin front page columns downplaying the Chiefs performance was noteworthy I thought.

I like your rationality ship reference, btw.

That both sports columnist were singing from the same cup half full playbook was predictable. Whitlock was a pimp the readership guy, but he did serve as more of a contrarian often times. Sam is good at playing that card at times, but…

when a qb only takes 2-2.5 seconds to unload…no one is going to
get to that qb….not anyone.
that’s how peyton did it…he could sit in the pocket (like smith) or
put theball out quickly like he’s only able to do.
so the linemen not getting any sacks was a foregone conclusion.
maybe next time…but the chiefs have to throw in some
blitzs…some changeups at the line (line up for one play…but change
right before the snap…..change is good).
plus when bowe is smoking dope…late to meetings…slow as molasses…
and they have no speed outside….(avery sucks)…and the rest of those
receivers are slower than glaze on ice skates….smith is going to have
problems….
truth is manning doesnt have toclean his uniform for the next game..
it was spotless after the game.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

go back and see the games…I watched one of them..
peyton was in the pocket longer than he was against the
chiefs.
watch before you talk.
if peyton throws at 2.5 ….no one can get to him.
if he is in pocket longer..the defense has a better
chance at him….against chiefs he was getting rid
of ball very fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One in THREE games, but why let facts get in the way over your overreaction?

Manning is one of the least sacked QBs of this year and most years due to his quick delivery so you can almost throw that game out. Cleveland and Buffalo, not much excuse there except that this is the NFL and coaches get paid to adjust and typically scheme against other teams strengths…weird, I know. Now it’s time for Coach Sutton to do the same. Anyway, I’m pretty confident in the fact that a pash rush featuring two PROVEN pass rushers like Hali and Houston isn’t “gone, baby, gone” as you would suggest.

In flight song, overheard on the losers long ride back to KC – ‘There’s got to be a morning after’ (or was it ‘Monday Monday can’t trust that day, Monday Monday sometimes it just turns out that way’?)

Same difference.

Broncos all alone in 1st place, even an hobbled QB proved too much for the game but outMan(ning)ed Chiefs, Peyton’s place. “It will be different in KC two weeks hence!” comes

No way?

Way.

Comes now the daddy of all “yeah but, yeah but” excuse – “the Chiefs stopped the Broncos, held them to less points than their average!”

427 yards of offense and 30 points (DEN missed an field goal) is not how I would characterize ‘stopping’ the other team. Perspective is requisite, one not kool-aid colored red. If DEN did not match their usual 41 points per game, conversely true Chiefs gave up more than twice as many points than their average of 12 per – the Broncos more than doubling said; every team isn’t limited to playing 2nd and 3rd string QB’s, like KC’s previous never-ending row of tomato cans.

Broncos won – clearly – start to finish. They even put it into first gear in the latter part the 4th quarter to wind some clock, otherwise, throwing it as is the Broncos bent, could have put up even more points, but had no need to.

~

This n that

‘We have a problem Houston’, Hali et al – no sacks from KC’s ‘NFL’s best?’ defense – not one in 40 Bronco attempts. The best defense on the field was DEN’s; anyone who would claim that isn’t true (because they were playing the Chiefs crummy offense) ?

Just look in the mirror/review KC’s opponents this year, all of them ‘challenged’ like KC same offensively, until last night’s game vs DEN; can’t have it both ways, folks.
Broncos defense is just as bad as KC’s offense, yet, had three sacks & gave up less yards despite the KC offense having a higher time of possession than did DEN.

Butterfingers and alligator arms a ‘not ready for prime time’ cast of receivers. Chiefs are stuck with Bowe for better and worse, because they have no one else, literally. I also think the Jamaal Charles of 2-3 years ago breaks that long run all the way for a td… Charles has obviously lost a step since then.

Breaks: KC had a number of them. A DEN fumble in their end the field – Chiefs gave it right back. A gift td courtesy a Bowe push off netted the score, a DEN taunting penalty before tha made it evn possible, aft the Broncos had stopped the KC offense yet again. Instead, became 1st down Chiefs. DEN also missed a field goal, the DEN K’s first miss of the year – that’s an aberration, obviously.

On any Sunday, any team ‘can’ win… KC fans must hope someone else (like NE) can beat the Broncos; despite their own best effort, KCinderella could not/cannot do so themselves. Chiefs better concentrate on staving off Rivers & the Chargers or they’ll lose two in a row before the Broncos apply the coup de grace two weeks hence, KC.

A DEN team that has lost its starting LT, C & CB beat (according the local yokels) ‘the best team in the NFL’, wire to wire… no one should honestly be surprised. As a cynic born of 50 years Chiefs ups & downs mine, fandom, this act has been playing here for decades now, and this year’s version is no better, only a different shade of mediocre.

Next up for KC: lose in round one the playoffs, and determine who they’ll draft at #1 2014 draft. As they have no #2 courtesy the Alex Smith acquisition, I suggest they’d better concentrate on finding a competent counterpart for Bowe at WR plus one (or three) more just to be safe, whether through the draft, free agency or trade even.

That Manning’s uniform was CLEANER after the game than before is a testament to Denver’s O-line. They had been much aligned/injured early and have only started to come on strong. And strong they were.

KC’s defense had to back off their customary crowding the recievers. Too many good ones with a gunslinger to feed them dictated their first real test. They held Denver to below their average. Maybe next time that will be enough.

I’ll take some cold-and-flu vaccine made from Chiefs’ antibodies as the receivers can’t seem to catch anything.

– ??? Just noticed an entire earlier paragraph mine went ‘POOF’ in cyberspace (I had addressed why the next meeting @KC vs DEN was no guaranteed ‘W’ ours either, no apologies KC fandom); probably for the better as my opus was become ‘War & Peace’.

Now 36-27 on calls. Went 3-3 this weekend, .500 no movement. As we all see its rough out there now as the season ends and teams are closer. NFL is super tough, no real consistent winners, it changes weekly. Denver is still a good call as is New Orleans and now Carolina, the rest, tough. Parody is here. College isn’t much better, the good teams like Bama, who didn’t cover this week, Ohio State and FSU have huge spreads now to cover, FSU is plus 56 this week, that’s a hard call, they might get to 50 and shut it down, who knows…but upward and onward..

Hey Craig, I don’t think I’ve had a chance to say good luck with the new club. That Valentine/Uptown corridor is ripe for a redevelopment. And with rents pricing anyone under 40 who doesn’t have a trust fund out of downtown you may just see a midtown redevelopment…